E H T
Curated by Alessandro Michele
Issue IssueNo. No.1 1
T S I L K C A L B
Figure1: Alessandro Michele by Mario Sorrenti
Guest Curator ALESSANDRO MICHELE Director: VALENTINA CARREÑO Editor in Chief: SILVIA ORDUZ Editor at Large: ISABEL MORENO Art Director: ANTONELLA CAMARGO Editorial Assitants: NURIA PONS LAURA HARADA ALEXANDRE LOUIS Front Cover:
ALESSANDRO MICHELE
CONTRIBUTOS In alphabetic order: ALESSANDRO MICHELE ERIC WILLIAMS HAO ZENG HEALTHER HAZZAN IB KAMARA JENNY KANAVAROS JUNYA NAKASHIMA MIROSLAVA DUMA NADINE IJEWERE SARA VAN PEE SOLANGE FRANKLIN YAEL ALFLAFO
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Photographer: Jason E. Hardwick
EDITOR´S LETTER This platform was born after questioning the current practices perform by the fashion industry. We conclude that although the fashion industry is perceived as attractive and commonly related to an ideal of perfection, there is a side that remains hidden. As a platform, we are committed to highlight and generate opinion about bad practices done by the industry that have a negative impact in society and the environment. For this first edition we rely with the collaboration of Alessandro Michele, an Italian fashion designer who is currently the creative director of Gucci. The objective of this collaboration is to inspire readers with the modernly imposed idea of beauty that encourages gender flow and elimination of labels. Michele´s vision of the world and celebration of diversity, culture, and sustainability is worthy of admiration, and we strongly support it. We invite you to be part of our platform and together achieve a positive change. We encourage our readers to immerse themselves in to a multisensory experience, to enjoy every story, every photo, and every article. Let’s celebrate together the fortune of being part of this world and the ability we have to contribute to demand ethical and sustainable practices and goods. love, The Blacklist
¨To discriminate only generates hate And when you hate then you're bound to get irate Madness is what you demonstrate And that's exactly how hate works and operates Man, we gotta set it straight Take control of your mind and just meditate And let your soul just gravitate To the love, so the whole world celebrate it People killin' people dyin' Children hurtin', I hear them cryin' Can you practice what you preachin'? Would you turn the other cheek again? Mama, mama, mama, tell us what the hell is goin' on Can't we all just get along? Father, Father, Father help us Send some guidance from above�
# WHERE IS THE LOVE Black Eyed Peas
FREE
TO
LOVE
PHOTOGRAPHER: HAO ZENG HAIR: ERIC WILLIAMS MAKEUP: JENNY KANAVAROS STYLIST: SOLANGE FRANKLIN
CULTURE
THE CAPTIVATING LENS OF FASHION AND PHOTOGRAPHER
NADINE IJEWERE
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adine is a South Londoner and is part Jamaican and part Nigerian. She studied at the London College of Fashion and has not looked back since.
textures and raw, beautiful people. Within my work is definitely that element of diversity and identity; celebrating different kinds of beauty.
Nadine’s work reveals hidden depths in her subjects, shining a light on their strengths and vulnerabilities. We cannot get enough of her subtle yet striking use of colour, while her sense of storytelling leads our imaginations on a journey of discovery. She not only challenges the boxing-in of people and segregation with her photographs, but champions diversity as well, which we celebrate as a House.
DOES YOUR HERITAGE INFORM YOUR WORK?
Her photographs explore orientalism in fashion – the result is a powerful eclecticism and creativity to lead and entrance the eye. Check out her project called ‘The Misrepresentation of Representation’ if you want to find out more. We also love her most well-known series called Same/Difference that looks at the meaning of beauty through tender portraits of siblings. NADINE, AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR WORK IS STORYTELLING. WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Culture is a big inspiration of mine as well as identity which is a reoccurring theme within my work. HOW DID YOU GET IN TO PHOTOGRAPHY? I started dabbling in film-photography during my A-levels. I really enjoyed the process and the excitement of not knowing what the final image was going to look like until I saw the negatives. It was so much more refreshing than digital – I found myself thinking more about the image as you have a limited amount of frames to work with. DO YOU THINK GROWING UP IN SOUTH-LONDON HAS INFLUENCED YOUR WORK? WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THE AREA? Yes, South London has a lot of culture and diversity. Growing up there I was surrounded by it: wonderful foods; glorious fabrics;
Sometimes it does, perhaps most in the subjects I chose. I am always drawn to subjects that are not as well represented in fashion imagery. That’s not to say I am trying to create representations – far from it! My work is all about celebration of diversity and different interpretations of beauty. I think it’s a wonderful thing and I want to capture that. HOW DID THE LOCATION IN NIGERIA INSPIRE THIS SHOOT? I wanted to keep the raw, earthy element that is present in a lot of my work and at the same time I wanted to shoot this project where I have family heritage, using people with my background. I think this adds a more personal approach to the images. As the project is called #StellaBy I really wanted to add more of my identity to the imagery. I wanted to give a feeling of diversity and not sticking to the rules – being different. Nigeria is a country that is known to be quite conservative, particularly in fashion with no blurring between lines. So I wanted shake things up a bit. DOES YOUR HERITAGE INFORM YOUR WORK? Sometimes it does, perhaps most in the subjects I chose. I am always drawn to subjects that are not as well represented in fashion imagery. That’s not to say I am trying to create representations – far from it! My work is all about celebration of diversity and different interpretations of beauty. I think it’s a wonderful thing and I want to capture that. DO CLOTHES PLAY ANY ROLE IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY, OR DOES IT MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN SOCIETY? I think styling and clothes definitely play a part in my work as they can cement what I
am trying to say. Styling or the way clothing is worn can create different interpretations. For me, I adore taking portraits of faces – the eyes are the most important feature. In this instance the clothing sometimes does not matter as much because I want to capture the essence of the subject. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE PEOPLE IN YOUR PHOTOS? That depends; it ranges from seeing someone on the street or Instagram – I am just drawn to them. I see something beautiful and I want to capture it. In some cases, just walking up to people is not an option. For this shoot I was lucky to have some help when I wanted to cast certain people. There is a certain way to talk to people in Nigeria; you have to be firm and confident in whatever you do.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE SHOOTING IN NIGERIA? Overall it was a great experience. However, you tend to draw attention which is sometimes unpleasant, especially when it’s something that people are not used to there. But you have to try to understand and be respectful of them. For instance, we had one of the more ‘flamboyant’ looks on one of the guys when we went to the fishing village. People began calling out as they found it quite offensive so I moved the team elsewhere. WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE IN YOUR WORK? When you think you aren’t good enough or experience moments where your creativity feels drained. Many artists battle with this constantly but then I think to myself, ‘I don’t do photography to be successful. I do it be-
cause it’s something I am passionate about, to celebrate identity and give a visual insight.’ IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER WHAT WOULD IT BE? That my eyes could capture images… If that’s even a power. From day-to-day I see such great moments where I wish I had a camera. So it would be great to have the camera in my eyes already! TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT MAY SEEM SURPRISING. Everyone thinks I’m going to be short when they meet me but I’m actually 6’3.
UGLY FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER: NADINE IJEWERE FASHION EDITOR/ STYLIST: SARA VAN PEE HAIR STYLE: JUNYA NAKASHIMA
THE MOVEMENT THAT
IS TRANSFORMING THE INDUSTR Y
All Women Project is an initiative founded in 2016 by French supermodel, Clémentine Desseaux and British supermodel Charli Howard with the objective of highlighting diverse beauty and dictates of fashion. Clémentine Desseaux and Charli Howard are well aware that the world of fashion is generally intolerant vis-à-vis models who do not meet the physical criteria imposed.There are two objectives in this project: to encourage the fashion world to welcome more diversity on catwalk, but also to encourage each woman to have confidence in herself. For this reason, the launch of the campaign, 11 models with different body shapes were photographed without being retouched. Displaying a group of women, all different, well in their skin and each beautiful in their own way in an attempt to encourage individuals to join the community this community and redesign the concept of universal beauty. All Women Project wanted to send a clear message to consumers via their website and social media: “The shape of your body should not define your femininity or your value as a woman! We all have physical defects and imperfections, and that does not make us less beautiful.” “As a consumer, you deserve to see licked fashion photos, but in which you can find yourself. This implies not showing only ultra-thin white mannequins, but full of different bodies.” The All Woman Project is also engaging its Internet users to promote multiple beauty by asking young women around the world to post videos and photos on social networks with the hashtag #IamAllWoman. In 2016, their first campaign was extremely well received by the public and customers of the fashion industry.They had a very strong come back in 2017, one year after the launch of the project, during their second campaign which had always the same objective: Uninhibited women. by Valentina Carreño
Photography by: Heather Hazzan
SUSTAINABILITY
YAEL AFLALO HOW REFORMATION TURNED INTO AN IT-GIRL LABEL by Miroslava Duma
I
t’s the LA-based label that has cool girls from Sydney to London in its thrall. Worn by celebs like Emily Ratajkowksi, Rihanna and Margot Robbie (to name a few - the list of famous clientele is loooong), Reformation’s stock in trade isn’t just in well-cut party dresses and basics, the company also boasts an impressive eco-conscious approach to manufacturing and distribution. Here, Buro 24/7 founder Mira Duma chats with the label’s creator and CEO Yael Aflalo about sustainability in fashion, celebrity fans and the future of Reformation. YOU STARTED [PREVIOUS LABEL] YAYA IN THE AGE OF 21. WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO START SOMETHING OF YOUR OWN INSTEAD OF GOING TO WORK FOR SOME OTHER LABEL/ DESIGNER? Throughout my years in fashion, including my 10 years with Ya-Ya, I became more and more aware of the harmful practices my company had fallen victim to - overprinting lookbooks, wasted fabric, etc. On a work trip to China, I saw firsthand the devastating amount of pollution created by the industry and knew that I had to make a change and help break this cycle. At the time, there weren’t many other brands who were making sustainable clothes that I would actually want to wear, so I created Reformation to fill this void at the intersection of design and sustainability. First and foremost, we’re trying to make great clothes that everyone will love, which also happen to be sustainable. WHAT WAS A TURNING POINT FOR YOU AS A DESIGNER AND ENTREPRENEUR THAT MADE YOU GO FOR SUSTAINABLE FASHION? Fashion is the third most polluting industry in the world, and the second largest consumer of water. Making fabric uses water, energy, chemicals, and other resources that most people don’t think about, or ever see. There are also over 400 million people worldwide who help make our clothes - and in the worst cases, they are subject to unsafe and unfair working conditions. The invisibility of the resources and people behind our clothes makes talking about the true costs of fashion difficult.
For the average consumer, it feels abstract and definitely not a part of our day-to-day life. But we all wake up and put on clothes every day, so our decisions have an impact whether we realise it or not. We all have the opportunity to make change. At Reformation, we want to lead a movement towards a world where sustainable manufacturing is the status quo and customers can feel empowered to change the world, but not their style. YOU’VE MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS THAT ONE OF THE TURNING POINTS IN YOUR DECISION TO CREATE REFORMATION WAS YOUR TRIP TO CHINA. AS YOUR BRAND GROWS, WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER RELOCATING THE PRODUCTION TO CHINA? We are based in LA and really enjoy keeping production local - it gives me the ability to be more hands-on that I’d be able to if things were made elsewhere. HOW DO YOU SOURCE THE VINTAGE PIECES AND MATERIALS? We buy our vintage pieces from wholesalers across the US, and redesign these materials into one-of-a-kind pieces. Repurposed clothing can save more than 13,227 pounds of CO2 emissions per year. Repurposing vintage denim and cashmere or wool sweaters also means you get the perfect feel and fit without the carbon impact of making new materials. What were some of the early obstacles and how you manage to overcome them? When I used to tell people that I wanted to create a sustainable clothing company, most rolled their eyes. At the time, many eco brands weren’t looking at trends or focusing on fit. I looked past the criticism and moved forward with creating Reformation. As we started to grow, we saw some challenges in creating sustainable clothing without using traditional manufacturing methods overseas, which is when we set out to create our own factory here in LA.
WHAT ARE THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS/ PIECES? DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU BRING BACK FROM TIME TO TIME? No matter the item, all of our clothing is chic and cool and I think our customers know that. While we update our styles weekly, we definitely bring back items that we see our customers are loving. We launched our holiday collection last month that did especially well with many of the pieces sold out on the website. HOW DOES YOUR DESIGN PROCESS LOOK LIKE? WHERE DO YOU GET AN INSPIRATION FROM? First, I sit down with my designers and ask them what they want to wear. Then we go through a number of sketch phases. Once samples are done, we fit various people in the office who have different body types to ensure the best possible fit. I would say that I sit in on 90 percent of the fittings, just because I want to make sure that our styles fit a variety of women and in the most perfect way. HOW DID REFORMATION BECOME SO POPULAR AMONG CELEBRITIES LIKE RIHANNA AND TAYLOR SWIFT? I think the reason so many celebrities are attracted to Reformation is because we continuously create great products that fit so well and are easy to wear. We make products that are sexy, but at the same time easy and chic,
which attracts celebrities. HOW DO YOU LEARN ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR PREFERENCES? IS IT JUST THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OR SOMETHING ELSE? We definitely use social media to listen to what girls are wanting more of. We also love seeing #RefBabes with different styles in our clothes - that diversity continues to grow with the brand - and we produce a range of styles to fit each customer. DO YOU THINK THAT FASHION IN GENERAL CAN BECOME SUSTAINABLE AT SOME POINT? CAN BIG BRANDS BE SUSTAINABLE OR THE SCALE KILLS THE ENVIRONMENT? The industry will have to change given resource constraints and other environmental and social constraints. I think the question is more “when” - when will big brand leaders respond proactively, or will they wait until it’s a matter of compliance. We’re really excited about the future of sustainability and the technology that comes along with it. Our long-view is that Reformation will be a go-to fashionable lifestyle brand for all things sustainable.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE REFORMATION HAS A SWEET SPOT BETWEEN FAST/ STREET FASHION AND HIGH FASHION? I think Reformation is bringing quality shapes and styles to women who are interested in fashion and trends without being ‘trendy’. Most of the pieces we make you can have in your closet forever and are versatile enough to wear anywhere. YOU’VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT YOU HATE THE IDEA TO “SELL COATS IN SUMMER.” THIS SEASON WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL BRANDS DOING SEE-NOW-BUY-NOW COLLECTION AT NYFW AND LFW. WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON CURRENT FASHION CYCLE AND DO YOU THINK THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING IN THE INDUSTRY? I think we’ve seen an overall shift in retail, especially with the rise of e-commerce, where customers see something and want it now, rather than waiting six months to be able to finally buy it at a store. With our production methods, we’re able to fine tune what’s working, and what’s not, without over-investing in unused merchandise. Because of this, we’ve given ourselves a flexibility that really makes sense. WHAT WAS THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY AS AN ENTREPRENEUR? Don’t make more than you can sell, and be fast. Opening my own factory with Reformation was the best move because there was no more sitting on inventory, and when there was demand for something, we were able to turn it around and get it back on the floor in two weeks. Speed to market is important. WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AND FOR REFORMATION? We’re really excited about the future of sustainability and the technology that comes along with it. Our long-view is that we will be a go-to fashionable lifestyle brand for all things sustainable. We’re always releasing new, limited-edition collections and look forward to continuing to offer great sustainable products.
#Stellaby
nadine ijewere
PHOTOGRAPHER: NADINE IJEWERE FASHION EDITOR/ STYLIST: IB KAMARA
INSP IRED US
NEW DESIGNER S THAT
INTRODUCING
SUSTAINABILITY
by The Blacklist Team
SUSTAINABILITY
SHIVANI SHETTY MUMBAI CITY: MUMBAI
COUNTRY: INDIA
PRODUCTION LOCATION: INDIA COLLECTION: H A B I T Pure and sophisticated, the collection names ‘HABIT’. It aims at creating an understated couture for Arabic and Middle Eastern Women. The concept is concentrated on the purity and clean silhouettes taken from surmise of Monasteries. The collection is inspired from the silhouettes of Nuns and Monks of Roman Catholic. The designs aesthetic is formed in a way that gives it a classic appeal, stemming from the Romans. The highlight of this collection is minimal embroidery on pastel tints of white created on structured Fabrics.
SUSTAINABILITY
TIZIANO GUARDINI MILAN CITY: MILAN
COUNTRY: ITALY
PRODUCTION LOCATION: ITALY COLLECTION: ORGANIC HAUTE COUTURE Sustainability is the ability to perceive the sacredness of life. Tiziano designs a woman and a man in perfect harmony with Mother Earth; the Earth that generated them A women enriched by textiles and extraordinary accessories coming from the Earth and kept in their originality, wisely adapted to enhance the beauty and the harmony of a woman. Natural woman and man in an urban context, keeping their genuine and disenchanted glance. This is what we need today. Our surviving is connected to the recovery of our relationship with Nature (Life) that has been mistreated through the Centuries, but never forget.. it is the Nature that favored the humans’ evolution. We need to look at the things from a different point of view - and Tiziano Guardini is for sure a forerunner and absolutely contemporary.
SUSTAINABILITY
GAL SADIROV FLORENCE CITY: FLORENCE
COUNTRY: ITALY
PRODUCTION LOCATION: ITALY PRODUCTION LOCATION: CZECH REPUBLIC COLLECTION: TAWA Gal Sadirova is a Czech fashion designer with Ukrainian roots, based in Italy. She recently graduated from POLIMODA Fashion Institute with a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design. Her collection ‘TAWA’ was selected one of the “BEST OF FASHION DESIGN” and presented at the Polimoda Fashion Show during Pitti Uomo. Gal has also participated in several competitions including projects for Falco Pellami SPA, Interior Design for RIVA Yachts with Pulina DNA, I-SKOOL Denim Project and Footwear Collection for H&M. A large part of Gal’s life has also been involved in dance, expressing modern art though dance productions and being part of major projects around the world including collaboration with Kanye West and other notable people. This gave her inspiration, perspective and practice in creative world.
SUSTAINABILITY
JI WON CHOI NEW YORK CITY: NEW YORK
COUNTRY: USA
PRODUCTION LOCATION: USA COLLECTION: EXCESSIVIM Citing the modern art movement, Excessivism, as a major influence on her collection, Choi aims to highlight the social issues of excess and consumer waste. In preparing for her collection, she studied the closets of her friends and family: “I decided that we have so much clothing, but we only wear a portion of it. Each stripe represents a garment and it’s multiplied so that excessiveness comes to life to symbolize over consumption.” Choi made deliberate design choices to use colors and synthetic materials that were most represented in the closets she studied. Choi intends for her garments to be multi-functional with the goal of reducing excessive consumerism in the industry.
TECHNOLOGY
MIROSLAVA DUMA SUSTAINABLE TECH & THE FUTURE OF FASHION by Rachna Bhasin
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amed the “most connected digital entrepreneur in fashion” by Vogue, Miroslava Duma is the founder of several ventures, a digital start-up investor, and an entrepreneur. Here, Positive Luxury sits down with Miroslava, or ‘Mira’ as she is affectionately known, to discuss the future of fashion and all things positive living – including Future Tech Lab, her latest venture set on bringing sustainable innovation to the fashion industry and beyond.
about starting a line of jewelry made with these laboratory-grown diamonds. Another company we’re working with, Orange Fiber, was founded by two Italian entrepreneu
rs who discovered that the juice industry in Italy produces 700,000 tons of orange peels every year, which end up in landfills. After about two years of working with scientists, they came up with the HOW EXACTLY DID YOU GET INTE- technology to produce a silk-like fabric RESTED IN FUSING FASHION AND from the recycled peelings, and in April, Salvatore Ferragamo launched a capsule TECHNOLOGY? collection using this orange-peel textile. Well, I was born in Siberia, where the biggest oil reserves in Russia are, and I YOU’RE IN LONDON TODAY, MAYgrew up thinking that there was nothing BE OFF TO MONACO NEXT WEEK, worse for our planet than the oil indus- WHICH IS IMPRESSIVE. HOW DO try. I’ve always been proud to work in YOU SOURCE THE COMPANIES the fashion world, but when I discovered YOU’RE WORKING WITH? how much pollution the apparel industry is responsible for—nearly 10 percent of It’s a nonstop process of researching vaglobal carbon emissions—I was shocked. rious laboratories, research institutions, I think it’s really embarrassing for every universities, and incubators. When I starone of us involved in the process. So I ted contacting scientists, they were loostarted meeting with the people who are king at me like, “Who the hell is she? What creating alternatives and looking toward does she want to talk with us about?” One of the first scientists I met told me the future. that they had given up on working with WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COMPA- the fashion industry because they think NIES THAT HAVE IMPRESSED YOU we speak a completely different language. But with time we’ve connected with MOST? people at MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and We’re working with a laboratory in San even Roscosmos, Russia’s space program, Francisco that is growing leather and which, as I’m sure you know, is the numfur from stem cells, which is fascinating. ber-one program in the world right now. There’s another company on the West There are a lot of exciting things also haCoast called Diamond Foundry that is ppening in Hong Kong, Japan, and Kogrowing perfect diamonds aboveground rea.Japan is one of the most sophisticated using solar power; there’s no carbon foo- and challenging markets to get access to. tprint. The earth’s roughdiamond supply An Italian team was recently recognized is set to drastically diminish by 2030, and with H&M Foundation’s Global Change this, in my opinion, is where the industry Award for producing leather from grapes, should be looking. Leonardo DiCaprio and you can also produce leather from is a big investor in this technology. He’s a mushroom. The same thing goes for pushing it in Hollywood, but almost no by-products of the salmon industry. one in fashion is part of the conversation yet. Right now we’re in negotiations with WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GARMENTS OF THE FUTURE WILL different international jewelry brands LOOK LIKE?
They will be made from the kinds of materials that harvest energy from the sun and wind, and can collect data from your body—the steps you take, the moves you make—and adjust your body temperature when you start to feel cold or warm. WHICH DESIGNERS ARE ALREADY INCORPORATING TECH INTO WHAT THEY’RE DOING?
materials are sustainable. Millennials are the first generation to be really interested in sustainability and understanding how things are made, alongside the social, economic and environmental impact of their production. Our children, Generation Z, will take what sustainability and eco-innovations mean for the planet even more seriously. In the near future, progress will make it possible to produce 100-percent sustainable products – for example, bags and car seats – from cow’s skin grown in laboratories without any harm to the environment or animals.
That’s a hard question. To be completely honest: no one. In terms of wearable tech and really smart textiles—like the ones that can keep you warm when it’s minus 300 degrees—right now those are only in laboratories. We’re trying to expose young We have already invested in a very protalent in the design world, students from mising San Francisco-based company in Parsons or Central Saint Martins, to some this area. of these innovations. WHAT ARE THE SUSTAINABLE ININ YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE NOVATIONS YOU ARE MOST EXCISOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLEN- TED ABOUT? GES THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS FACING TODAY WHEN IT COMES I’ve seen many inspiring ideas and projects ever since the inception of FTL. TO BEING SUSTAINABLE? One of our first portfolio companies The biggest challenge we are facing today was Diamond Foundry, a San Francisis changing the collective industry mind- co-based lab that was founded just four set, which is why we see FTL as more of a years ago and has already attracted $100 movement, aimed at empowering and ac- million worth of investment – inclucelerating the fashion and apparel indus- ding from Leonardo DiCaprio. Diamond try to transition to a more innovative and Foundry can grow diamonds up to 15 casustainable future. These changes will rats from a microscopic layer of a natural not happen overnight, but the process is diamond in a plasma reactor in just a few weeks. Their resulting diamonds’ atomic well underway. compositions are the same as that of a WE’RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN natural diamond, but without any ethical DEVELOPMENT OF BIOTECH, NA- issues surrounding the diamond mining NOTECHNOLOGIES, TECH TEXTI- industry. LES, AND WEARABLE TECH. CAN YOU TELL US HOW THAT WILL IM- Another one of our portfolio companies, San Francisco-based VitroLabs is sucPACT THE LUXURY INDUSTRY? cessfully growing the world’s first truly A lot of luxury fashion is built on this luxury cultured leather. They are able to idea of handmade being superior. But ri- produce ethical leather from the cells of ght now consumers are starting to care cow, crocodile, ostrich, and other animore about how the goods are being pro- mals. The traditional process of turning duced. And this is not about whether the skin into leather requires huge amounts product is handmade or 3D printed, but of energy and dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, plus if the production is responsible and the
various oils and dyes that are hazardous for humans. VitroLabs will be the answer to clean and ethically sound leather production, revolutionising the future of leather and fur for the luxury industry. There are so many other innovations out there – all united by their unique problem solving capabilities – for which FTL is scouting the world. ONE OF THE GREATEST LESSONS I’VE LEARNED SINCE BEING INVOLVED IN THE TECH INDUSTRY IS THE IMPORTANCE OF REMEMBERING THAT IT’S REALLY NOT ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY OR THE SPECIFIC HARDWARE; IT’S ABOUT HUMANS, AND WHAT IT ENABLES US TO DO EVERY DAY. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST TAKE AWAY? It’s made me think about the fundamental question: What is worth owning, the fabric or the underlying essence? Fashion is all about aesthetic and exterior beauty, but what problem is it solving?
Technology is modifying The future in fashion Adidas launch three new editions of its popular UltraBoost shoe in collaboration with Parley for the Oceans, which are an environmental group that look for attention on pollution in the ocean. The top of the shoe is made of 5% recycled polyester and 95% of waste plastics from the ocean around the Malvides Indian ocean, each pair of shoes have approximately 11 plastic bottles, and most of the rest is also made of recycled materials. The founder of Parley for Oceans (Cyrill Gusch) said “ Nobody can save the oceans alone, one of us can play a role in the solution, it is on the creative industries hands to reinvent materials, products and business models. Consumer can increase the demand for change� The Verge. (2016) by Isabel Moreno
- CURATOR’S LETTER Perché l’unica urgenza che sento è quella di continuare a passo lento Il mio viaggio, è un piccolo sentiero quello che percorro, quasi non si vede, Non so di preciso se qualcuno l’ha già calpestato. Il mio sentiero spesso è attraversato dalla luce e dale stagioni ed è lì che tutto muta. E’ uno spazio immenso, segreto, dilatato, tutto compresso in una piccolo stanza, a volte è anche un profumo nascosto nella memoria di qualcosa che fatico a ricordare. E’ per questo che spesso faccio un lista lunghissima di quello che sento, infinita, inaccessible, fitta ed allora la smembro e la romonto a modo mio così somiglia di più a quello che ho scorto ed immaginato da lontano. Non so se quello che vedo è tutto vero, non so neanche se l’ho mai visto. Nel posto dove vivo, sogno e soffro è tutto meraviglioso.
Because the only urgency I feel is to keep on, at a slow pace, with my journey; it’s a tiny path, the one I go across, almost invisible. I don’t actually know if someone has already been there. Light and seasons often run through my path, and everything changes. It’s boundless space, secret and winded, compressed in a little room; sometimes it’s also a hidden scent, lost in the memory of something I can hardly remember. That’s why I frequently make a very long list of what I feel: endless, impenetrable, thick; then I dismember it and reassemble it my way, so that it looks more like what I perceived and imagined from a distance. I don’t know if what I see is completely true, I don’t even know if I ever saw it. Where I live, dream and suffer, everything is wonderful.
Polaroid by CATHERINE OPIE Sparkles by JACQUI GETTY Los Angeles, 2015
“YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN TO DREAMING. IT’S A COMPLICATED LANGUAGE BUT I’M OBESESSED WITH IT.” - ALESSANDRO MICHELE